Food that can raise coumadin levels

Rebel fighters regroup around Ajdabiya
A group of heavily-armed rebel fighters has gathered on the outskirts of Ajdabiya. They say they are ready to retake the city, which is currently held by the forces of Muammar Gaddafi. International forces bombarded Libya for the third night in a row on Monday. But the rebels they are trying to help are struggling to organise themselves and capitalise on the disarray caused by air strikes. Read: who is providing what to the military operation In their latest offensive, forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi have targeted two towns. Locals say forty people have died as a result of shelling on Misrata. In Benghazi last night, panicked rebel fighters took to the streets when they heard loud explosions. But it turned out to be coalition aircraft striking targets around the city. Read: Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy The head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, who supported the UN-mandated intervention, criticised its severity saying the air attacks had killed many civilians. Russia’s defence minister has also condemned civilian deaths but his US counterpart has said the coalition is going to great lengths to avoid killing non-combatants. Robert Gates said most Libyan targets are air defences that are not situated near populated areas. Gates said many people in Russian appear to believe what he called Gaddafi’s “lies” about the number of civilian deaths in the coalition’s air strikes. Libyan authorities claim the bombardments have killed dozens of civilians.

Moroccans want to reign in royal powers
At least 2,000 protesters have gathered in a square in Morocco’s capital, Rabat, to demand that King Mohammed give up some of his powers and clamp down on government corruption. There were some echoes of the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings as some people in the crowd waved national flags. But few other similarities as most demonstrators said they didn’t want the King to step down, just parliament reformed. “Some progress has been made over the past ten years but we are hoping for more change in other domains,” said one demonstrator. Sentiments shared by another: “Morocco is developing but there needs to be more change. This is a peaceful protest.” With a reformist monarch and a growing economy, Morocco is widely seen as one of the least likely countries to succumb to the wave of protests across the Arab world.

EU split on Libya recalls Iraq rift
Fears are building of Europe splitting into camps over action in Libya, resembling the strong policy differences over the Iraq war in 2003. The line-up for this ‘war’ is quite different, however. The coalition behind the bombing today has seven EU countries in it, and this time Britain (the major US ally in 2003) and France are on the same side promoting armed intervention, not like when France stayed out, and European opposition to the US-led war in Iraq was widespread. Now the EU countries in the coalition with the US include Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Spain. Motives and commitment levels are different too. Germany’s objection to military means is attributed to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s election calendar. French leader Nicolas Sarkozy, on the other hand, who wined and dined Colonel Gaddafi in high style three years ago, has presidential elections on the horizon. British Prime Minister David Cameron’s position is also double-edged. A poll in the Sun newspaper says even fewer Britons support military action in Libya than initially backed action in Iraq. Even coalition member Italy would like to see NATO running the operations. The 28-nation alliance has failed to agree on that, key member Moslem Turkey saying ‘no’ the loudest. Paris said Arab countries would also object. France seemed satisfied to stay in the driver’s seat, saying NATO would provide support when the US scales back its participation.

ECB drops more hints on rate rise
The European Central Bank is ready to take decisive and timely action to guard against the risks of inflation rising further. So says ECB policymaker Yves Mersch, head of Luxembourg’s central bank. That is the latest ECB signal of an increase in the cost of borrowing, almost certainly next month. It comes despite Japan’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters cast doubt on the global economic recovery. Mersch’s comments reaffirm ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet’s surprise announcement on 3rd March that an April rate rise was possible. “It is essential that the recent rise in inflation does not lead to generalized inflation pressures in the medium term,” Mersch said. However, Mersch said inflationary risks were clearly on the upside, an additional hint that the 17-country bloc’s central bank is still on course to raise interest rates next month. “We have indicated very high vigilance for the period that will take us to the decision of April … and we will take the appropriate decisions in order to guarantee price stability in the medium term,” he told a news conference in Luxembourg. Mersch’s language was similar to the phrasing Trichet used on 3rd March, when he said the ECB would exercise “strong vigilance” over rising inflation — a term that in the past signalled a rate rise was only a month away. The ECB has kept its rates on hold at a record low of one percent since May 2009.

Women fight for contraception in the Philipines
Women stage a “die-in” in Manila to call on bihsops to stop their opposition to the Reproductive Health Bill which permits education on contraception. REUTERS/ Cheryl Ravelo